Details emerge in Bethlehem dispatcher arrest

Details are emerging surrounding the arrest of a Bethlehem police dispatcher earlier this month.

An arrest report obtained by way of the Freedom of Information Law reveals a redacted police narrative of the events of April 2, when dispatcher Eric Kerr was arrested on three misdemeanor charges after allegedly pointing a handgun at his ex-girlfriend.

The recovered report says Kerr pursued the victim around town before she contacted Bethlehem Police Officer James Cross by text message, saying, [Kerr's] only a little psycho no problem I was only home alone with a loaded gun pointed at me.

Cross, on duty at the time, alerted the shift supervisor, who in turn alerted Lt. Thomas Heffernan. Police then established contact with the victim via phone and advised her to come to the Bethlehem Police Station, according to the arrest report.

Police met her there and observed Kerr's white pickup truck entering and leaving the department parking lot, according to police. The victim allegedly was crying and didn't have any shoes on when police arrived to escort her into the station.

Police discovered Kerr was at his parent's house, and he apparently made a statement to police when they arrived, the majority of which was redacted from the report.

In fact, except for in one officer's supplemental report that indicated Kerr had said he was emotional that night, every statement Kerr made to police was redacted from the arrest report.

In many instances, it appears as if Kerr threatened violence on himself or the victim if she attempted to call 911, such as in this portion of shift supervisor Sgt. Christopher Shunk's supplemental statement:

"[Redacted] stated Eric threatened to kill himself and kill [redacted] if she called 911. [Redacted] also stated Eric pointed a black handgun at her."

Bethlehem police Sgt. Robert Helligrass said this alleged behavior did not warrant additional charges against Kerr, in part because the victim was able to contact police.